Middle School Reading Picks

There are many different middle school reading picks. Parents, teachers, and students alike have established that there are quite a few books that should be read between the sixth and the eighth grade. Here, you will be introduced these works of literature. There are many different reasons why adults should encourage middle school children to read. Reading assists in preparing a child for the future, optimizing their level of comprehension, and encourages them to use their imagination. Listed below are the top books as rated by adults and children alike.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Author: Wilson Rawls The middle school student is likely to thoroughly enjoy reading the popular book by Wilson Rawls called “Where the Red Fern Grows”. The boy that plays the main character in this particular book works extremely hard to save money for two hound dogs that are identified as “Redbone Coonhounds”. In the story, the main character who is named Billy desires nothing more than to have the two redbone hounds. Unfortunately, he comes from a poor home and it required to save the money himself. Amazingly, he manages to save $50.00 – just enough for the purchase – in just two years. During the time when the Depression was occurring, this was quite a feat. By the time that Billy purchased the dogs, the price was lowered by $10.00. Once he obtains the dogs, he trains them to hunt coons near his home in the Ozark Mountains. He named the male dog “Old Dan” and the female dog “Little Ann”. Eventually, he enters them into a contest where they experience a lot of success. In one hunt, the dogs sniff out a mountain lion. Because they dogs fear that the mountain lion will injure Billy, they attack it. Old Dan dies as a result of severe wounds. Not too long later, Little Ann dies because she missed Old Dan so much. He buries the dog and prepares for a move with his family. Prior to leaving, he goes to wish them deceased dogs farewell and spots a red fern growing between them. According to an Indian Legend, this indicates an angel placed the fern and that the land is sacred where it stands.

The Little Prince

Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery The Little Prince was published in the year of 1943. This story plots a boy who uses a high level of imagination in order to draw pictures. Unfortunately, the adults that he shows the artwork to does not show as much motivation as he has. It was at that time that he decides he will just leave behind his childhood and become an adult. It is then that he elects to become a pilot and crashes into the popular Sahara Desert. It is at this time that he meets the “Prince” of the story. The Prince lives on an asteroid that is called “B612” and in close proximity to several other planets. He tells about visiting each. This is a wonderful story full of special lessons and information and is absolutely perfect for the middle school child with a high level of imagination.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Author: J.K Rowling For children that enjoy the Harry Potter series, J.K Rowling’s book called “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” is sure to be an interesting read. This book was mentioned in the last book of the series called “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. The books contains popular fairy tale stories from the wizarding world. In the final Harry Potter book, this book is responsible for officially introducing the Deathly Hallows. Everyone loves fairy tales. Those that have an attraction to the magical world of Harry Potter will thoroughly enjoy reading this collection of fairy tales that are said to have been passed down from one wizard to another.

The Outsiders

Author: S.E Hinton In this book, middle school readers will be introduced to the two types of people in the world. The first type are called “Greasers” and the second type are called “Socs”. Greasers are those people that lives on the area referred to as the “Outside” and must consistently watch for themselves and those that they care about. The “Socs” are individuals that have a lot of money. “Socs” is a short term used for the word “Social”. These individuals have the capability of getting away with quite a bit and have a severe attitude problem. The reader will be introduced to “Ponyboy” who is a greaser through and through. He consistently battles the “Socs” on a regular basis. Unfortunately, he comes to face a situation when he his friend murders one of the individuals from the “Socs”. Most middle schools encourage students to read this classic novel.

The Harry Potter Series

Author: J.K Rowling There are seven different books that are part of the Harry Potter series. They are as follows: * “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” * “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” * “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” * “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” * “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” * “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” * “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” The books are considered to be fantasy and document the life and adventures of Harry Potter and several of his friends. The main theme throughout all the books is the fact that there is a consistent battle throughout Harry’s life between him and the popular “Lord Voldemort” or “he-who-must-not-be-named”. Every middle school reader is sure to enjoy the books that are part of the Harry Potter series. As you can see, there are several top middle school books that are sure to draw the attention of students that are between the ages of twelve and fifteen. If you or your middle schooler are looking for an entertaining means of passing time, check out the books contained within this guide.